Explosive charge driven setting gun

Abstract

In an explosive charge driven setting gun a breech block is located in the rear of the gun housing and the gun barrel is axially displaceable within the gun housing. A firing projection is formed on the rear end of the barrel so that a propellant charge supported on the breech block can be fired by displacing the barrel rearwardly against the breech block. The displacement force can be provided by a spring which biases the barrel rearwardly. A latch can be mounted in the housing for securing the barrel in a forward position and when the latch is released, the barrel can be displaced rearwardly against the breech block.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An explosive charge driven setting gun for firing an explosive charge and using force generated by the explosive charge for driving fastening elements and the like into a receiving material, comprising a housing having a bore extending in the firing direction of the gun, said bore having a rear end and a front end spaced in the firing direction from said rear end, a barrel axially displaceably mounted within the bore in said housing, said barrel having a forward end facing in the firing direction and a rearward end facing in the opposite direction, a breech block positioned in said housing at the rear end of said bore and in alignment with said barrel, said breech block arranged to support a propellent charge, wherein the improvement comprises means formed on the rearward end of said barrel for firing the propellent charge supported on said breech block when said barrel is displaced rearwardly against said breech block. 
     
     
       2. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for firing the propellent charge comprises a projection on the rearward end of said barrel extending therefrom toward said breech block. 
     
     
       3. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 2, wherein an annular shoulder is formed on the rearwardly end of said barrel laterally encircling said projection for forming a portion of a firing chamber for the propellent charge supported on said breech block. 
     
     
       4. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one pin extending in the firing direction is axially displaceably mounted within said housing, said pin is in operative engagement with said barrel for displacement with said barrel opposite to the firing direction and when said barrel is displaced rearwardly against said breech block said pin projects rearwardly from the rear end of said housing. 
     
     
       5. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a latch is displaceably mounted in said housing and extends into locking contact with said barrel for holding the rearward end of said barrel in spaced relation to said breech block so that said barrel can be displaced rearwardly against said breech block only after said latch is displaced from locking contact with said barrel. 
     
     
       6. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 1, wherein spring means are mounted in said housing and disposed in contact with said barrel for biasing said barrel away from said breech block. 
     
     
       7. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said spring means comprises at least one pin extending in the firing direction and axially displaceably mountd in said housing, said pin having a lateral projection thereon extending into contact with said barrel for blocking the displacement of said barrel rearwardly against said breech block, a spring encircling said pin and contacting said pin at one end and contacting said housing at its other end at a location rearwardly from the contact with pin, said housing having an opening in its rearward end aligned with said pin so that said pin can pass rearwardly through the opening in said housing permitting said barrel to move rearwardly against said breech block. 
     
     
       8. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said barrel comprises two axially extending parts consisting of a front barrel part and a rear barrel part with said rear barrel part located closer to said breech block than said front barrel part. 
     
     
       9. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said front and rear barrel parts being axially displaceable relative to one another. 
     
     
       10. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 9, wherein a latch is displaceably mounted in said housing and extends into locking contact with said rear barrel part for holding the rearward barrel part in spaced relation to said breech block. 
     
     
       11. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 10, wherein a compressible spring is positioned in contact with an extending between said front barrel part and said rear barrel part so that in the compressed state said spring can displace said rear barrel part rearwardly against said breech block. 
     
     
       12. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said front and rear barrel parts are arranged to move one into the other so that said front barrel part is displaceable opposite to the firing direction relative to said rear barrel part against said spring for compressing said spring when said rear barrel part is locked by said latch whereby upon subsequent displacement of said latch from locking engagement with said rear barrel part, said rear barrel part is biased in the direction of said breech by the compressed said spring. 
     
     
       13. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 11, wherein a first compressible spring is positioned within said housing in contact with and extending between said housing and said barrel so that said barrel can be biased by said spring toward said breech block. 
     
     
       14. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 13, wherein a displaceable stop member is mounted on said housing and is arranged to contact said barrel and prevent said barrel from moving against said breech block, said stop member displaceable between a first position where it contacts said barrel preventing said barrel from moving rearwardly and a second position where said stop is positioned from contact with said barrel. 
     
     
       15. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said stop member is pivotally supported in said housing and is angularly displaceable about the pivotal support between the first and second positions. 
     
     
       16. An explosive chage driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 15, wherein a second spring is positioned within said housing and in contact with said stop member for biasing said stop member about the pivotal support, and said housing forming a shoulder against which said second spring biases said stop member for securing said stop member in position for blocking the rearward movement of said barrel. 
     
     
       17. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 16, wherein said housing includes a cap member slidably displaceably positioned on the rearward end of said housing, and a third spring extending between said cap member and said breech block and biasing and cap member rearwardly from said breech block. 
     
     
       18. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 17, wherein said housing includes a handle grip attached to said cap member, said stop member pivotally mounted in said handle grip for movement into the path of said barrel within said housing, and said second spring positioned within said handle grip. 
     
     
       19. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said barrel forms a second bore having the axis thereof extending in the firing direction, a driving piston disposed in sliding contact with the surface of said second bore and arranged to be driven through the second bore for driving fastening elements from the setting gun into a receiving material. 
     
     
       20. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 3, wherein a magazine supports propellent charges therein in spaced relation to one another, said breech block forming a guide way for receiving said magazine and positioning individual propellent charges in alignment with said means on the rear end of said barrel. 
     
     
       21. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 20, wherein torus-shaped projections are formed on said magazine for laterally enclosing the propellent charges, said torus-shaped projections shaped to fit in closely fitting contact within said annular shoulder formed on the rearward end of said barrel. 
     
     
       22. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 21, wherein said magazine is an elongated band-shaped member with said torus-shaped projections spaced apart in the elongated direction of said band-shaped member. 
     
     
       23. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said latch extends transversely of the firing directions in contact with said barrel, and spring means in contact with said latch for biasing said latch into contact with said barrel. 
     
     
       24. An explosive charge driven setting gun, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a block extending in the firing direction and forming a closure for the rear end of the bore in said housing, a front cover plate secured to the front end of said block facing in the firng directions, said breech block bearing against the portion of said block forming the closure for the rear end of the housing bore, said barrel comprises two axially extending parts located within said block and consisting of a front barrel part and a rear barrel part located closer to said breech block than said front barrel part, and said front cover plate forming a shoulder providing a stop for preventing said front barrel part from moving out of said block.